Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyễn Phương Anh presents credentials, officially assuming the role of Việt Nam's Permanent Representative to the FAO. — VNA/VNS Photo

ROMA — Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyễn Phương Anh on May 21 presented her credentials to Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Qu Dongyu at the FAO headquarters in Rome, officially assuming the role as Việt Nam's Permanent Representative to the FAO.

At a meeting following the credential presentation ceremony, Director-General Qu congratulated Ambassador Anh on her new assignment and highly valued Việt Nam's socio-economic development achievements in recent years, particularly in agriculture, food security, poverty reduction and sustainable rural development.

He affirmed that the FAO has always regarded Việt Nam as an important partner in the region and valued the country's role and experience in agricultural development, especially trilateral cooperation models in Africa and the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme. He suggested that Việt Nam continue sharing its development experience and expanding successful models to more countries and regions, while enhancing cooperation in sustainable food systems transformation, green agriculture and climate change adaptation.

The FAO Director-General recalled his good impressions from his meeting with National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn at the FAO headquarters in April, as well as his previous visits to Việt Nam. He expressed his pleasure at welcoming the first high-ranking Vietnamese leader to visit the FAO in years, describing it as an important milestone demonstrating Việt Nam's regard for cooperation ties with the organisation.

For her part, Ambassador Anh affirmed that Việt Nam values its long-standing and effective cooperation with the FAO and highly appreciates the organisation's support for Việt Nam's agricultural sector over the past decades.

She expressed her hope that the FAO would continue accompanying Việt Nam in restructuring the agricultural sector, developing green and sustainable agriculture, advancing digital transformation, ensuring food security, implementing the One Health approach and responding to climate change.

The two sides agreed to continue strengthening coordination, effectively implementing existing cooperation programmes and projects, and expanding collaboration in sustainable agriculture, innovation, food systems transformation and South-South cooperation, thereby contributing to food security and sustainable development in the region and worldwide. — VNA/VNS